Things are starting to look better for Manchester United as they win consecutive league matches, with most of the newly found success having to do with Adnan Januzaj playing a lot better than any 18-year old should, being the driving force behind Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie who both got on the scoresheet in a match that was ever only 22 minutes after it began.
Fulham have given big teams plenty of problems in the past at Craven Cottage, but something’s missing this year for Martin Jol’s side so far, with only 10 points after 10 matches. Some of it has to do with luck – a minute after Antonio Valencia opened the scoring for Manchester United, Fulham missed an excellent opportunity to equalize and bring the pressure back to David Moyes and his boys. However, United survived, and in a later blitz finished off the game, first through a Robin van Persie goal and later an assist from the Dutchman to Rooney, who played long stretches of the match in the midfield.
Januzaj didn’t score, but if there’s one player that’s been special for Manchester United over the last month or so, it’s been the young Belgian. There have been quite a few “wonderkids” wowing United fans over the years, beginning with Ryan Giggs and carrying on to Cristiano Ronaldo. Januzaj wasn’t as highly touted when he made his debut for Manchester United, but he’s hardly let go of the starting spot since making it.
It’s hard to believe he’s adept at playing on the left or the right without too many problems. His maturity and understanding of what’s happening around him – no pointless dribbling and no moments when it looks like the whole game is too big for him, are the really interesting points about his early success, which has been the biggest bright spot in Moyes’ difficult start to the season.
The midfield worked early on, but it points to a Moyes failure – the transfer market and especially Marouane Fellaini. A lot of the criticism on Moyes on the internet has been coming from United fans who don’t go to Old Trafford. Millions around the world care about the club just as much as those who live in Manchester, only their way of venting anger is on Facebook and comment sections. The fans in England are a more patient type, but not with Fellaini, who they never wanted in the first place, and every time he plays or doesn’t goes to demonstrate he simply isn’t of Manchester United material as some like to call it.
David Moyes is still not quite grasping what’s expected of him, which is more than just win points, but win in style. Making all three substitutions at half time killed off the match and reeked of misplaced arrogance, that cost United the dominance in the middle of the pitch. Fellaini coming in, breaking apart the Phil Jones – Tom Cleverley duo which worked quite well, was yet another mistake he’s made among the many that we’ve witnesses since he’s taken the job. Luckily for him, it didn’t cost him any points.